Wireless mesh and ad hoc networks route packets through links between nodes in the network from a source node to a destination node. Inaccurate prediction of wireless link quality can lead to routing of packets over poor quality links. This can result in low end-to-end throughput and low quality of service.
Delivery ratio prediction algorithms are used to predict a wireless link delivery ratio with packet SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) values. Existing delivery ratio prediction algorithms use historical deliver ratio data only as an algorithm input. Factors such as channel fading, multi-path interference and physical obstruction, can result in the delivery ratio of wireless links being highly volatile. Further, as deliver ratio is inherently a probability value, an exorbitant number of probe packets need to be transmitted (to accumulate a satisfactory historical delivery ratio series) to obtain higher prediction accuracy. Better algorithms are needed to effectively operate high-demanding communication applications, such as voice over IP, in wireless mesh/ad hoc networks.